This invention relates to a milking claw which is a closed container in which milk from the four teat cups is received and discharged through a single tube to the collection point. It is desireable to reduce foaming in the claw because foam, a result of the incorporation of air into the milk, causes off-flavors and also may render a downstream meter, if used, inaccurate which means the production records will be faulted. It is desireable that any blow back in the discharge line not be able to cause blow back in the line to a teat cup which could cause the teat to be washed or impacted with milk from an infected teat with possible spread of infection. Similarly, the prior art claws frequently positioned the inlet nipples so there could be flow from one to another. Many claws cause pooling of the milk in the claw, i.e., slow down the milk causing loss of kinetic energy or fail to drain completely, causing subsequent spillage of milk. This results in requiring a higher vacuum to move the milk from the claw. That requires more energy and also causes increased and irregular vacuum pulsation on the teats which renders the teats more prone to mastitis.
Attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,419.